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Introduction: Resident Evil Season 2: Is this in the Pipeline?
Will Resident Evil Have a Season 2? It is a question that a lot of fans of the franchise as well as fans of the live action series ever since its release on the streaming platform have wanted to know the answer to. Resident evil season one was somewhat of a prequel introducing some new and old characters and intertwining a storyline which included aspects of the popular video game series with the new narratives.
However, this excitement was short lived since Netflix confirmed the show will only last one season and ended with quite a number of unanswered questions as to why season 2 was never produced. Let’s turn our attention to the reasons for the cancellation and what may have transpired had season 2 been approved for production.
What Made Netflix to Pull the Plug on Resident Evil Series After Season 1
Mixed Reviews and Low Audience Retention Rate
Despite showing signs of promise in its early episodes, the audiences’ viewership of the Resident Evil Netflix series dwindled sufficiently by the end of the first season to determine that there will not be a second season. Specifically, a performance metric for show renewals employed by Netflix is the number of the viewers who finish a show, and the Resident Evil series unfortunately received mixed reviews and poor audience retention. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes attributed it a 53% score, while the audiences were even more critical, giving it an averaged IMDb score of 3.9 out of ten. The low ratings of the series must have dwelt its chances further, the popularity of the franchise notwithstanding.
Trying to Make Adaptations of Video Games into TV Series
When attempting to bring a video game into a television series format, the odds have not been as favorable as history would have led many to believe and as such, Resident Evil was not going to be different. If we talk about the fans of the games, they felt that the show didn’t fully realize the potential of the Resident Evil universe, while the average viewers thought that the storyline and the pacing were off. All the video game to tv show adaptations have always been controversial to fans who have waited for better scripts and designs, as it was with Resident Evil. These factors cumulatively rendered Netflix’s funding the further development of the show as a high-risk venture.
What Would Have Happened in Resident Evil Season 2?
Unresolved Storylines
Major events took place in the first season and there resolved many questions among the fans for the second season. When the first episode premiered, the storyline was able to jump through different time frames, which has left a lot of unanswered questions surrounding Billie and Jade, as well as, the Umbrella Corp and the viral twist. The plot of season two would probably have seen Jade searching for her daughter Bea who was abducted by Billie, Jade’s sister. Besides, There was more to Albert Wesker’s link to Ada Wong that could have also been incorporated and that had more of the games back lore that was not explored highly.
Story Development and Future Sequel Ideas
The showrunner, Andrew Dabb, stated in a Khole interview that season two was likely to explore these characters as well as, elements from the games that are original. The absence of Ada Wong was not left unnoticed, the fans wanted to see her during the self-terrorism acts and it would have made certain events more interesting due to her connection with the Weskers. The introduction of these characters and pending plot lines certainly put viewers in feeling of what could have been achieved in season two in terms of character and plot development. Likewise, the virus that was witnessed making its presence in New Raccoon City had to get worse and most likely bring along greater threats and chaos.
Reactions by Fans and Appeals for Revival
Fans Persevere in Their Efforts to Get the Series Renewed
The series ‘Resident Evil’ has been in controversy as the show was only run for one season. This has led to some fans taking their dissatisfaction to the internet, raising petitions and creating online campaigns for the renewal of the show. They believe that the plot was worth the drama and that more would be elaborated in a second season with better direction than the first season. But Netflix remains adamant with their decision stating that the first reviews of the show did not merit any more expenses in the series.
More Action Can Be Taken With Other Prospective Resident Evil Projects
While it seems that weary Resident Evil will not make any return on Netflix, there are other avenues within the franchise in television or film. Capcom has a longstanding history of expanding Resident Evil into other media outlets and fans still cross their fingers that it could be another network or streaming service that restarts the concept of the series alternatively creates a new approach. For now, though, it seems as if Netflix’s version of Resident Evil is finished without a season 2.
Conclusion: Is There Future for Resident Evil on Netflix?
Taking into consideration the current scenario, it seems improbable that Netflix will return to the adaptation of Resident Evil, which ought to have lasted multiple seasons instead of being single-seasoned. Despite possessing quite some prospects for future stories, dismal reception and abysmal ratings of the series continued making it hard to justify further investment. Nevertheless, the diehard Resident Evil community shows no signs of fading away, and perhaps Capcom will explore different avenues for the franchise perhaps animated offerings or live-action remakes on other platforms. Fans of the franchise have to seek out alternative Resident Evil materials for now as there is hope of a new remake in the near future.
FAQs on Will Resident Evil Have a Season 2?
Why was Resident Evil terminated after season 1?
The reception towards Resident Evil on Netflix was the main reason why it was discontinued, this includes the low number of viewers as well as their retention. The show was met with high expectations at first, but many people failed to finish the series after the first few episodes. It can be interpreted that this cancellation is a response to Netflix’s general concerns about the energy spent on producing shows that ultimately do not deliver a qualitative impact.
Will Residents Evil ever get a season 2 of the show on Netflix?
There is little to no hope for any future seasons of Resident Evil, considering its release. Still, the Resident Evil franchise remains viable, so some other studio or platform may pick up the baton and create some other adaptation in the future.
What would have occurred in Resident Evil season 2?
Season two was meant to see Jade battle with her sister for the attention of their daughter Bea. The story could certainly have further game characters brought into it such as Ada Wong, thus giving the series a more tangential connection to the Resident Evil universe.
Did the events of the Resident Evil series follow the games?
Although the Resident Evil game plots had been used in the Netflix series, the television show diverged and featured other plots as well and new characters. This led to a feeling amongst some fans as the show began diverging from the games and led to an average standing of recognition from the Resident Evil fans.
Is season 2 of Resident Evil possible on another network?
While there is a slim chance for another network to take up the proposal, its hard to say since Netflix’s ventures do not have the best of reviews. Still, Capcom’s franchise remains golden and it is envisaged that eventually a new adaptation will be made on some other platform, in all likelihood with a fresh perspective.
